I could hear my eldest son, only six weeks old at the time, crying from his bassinet. Someone said to me "don't pick him up, it'll just spoil him". Spoil an infant? The idea was so absurd to me. Yet, it has been a common thought for quite some time, especially in our mother's generation. The truth of the matter is that you will not spoil a child by holding them. Not at all. Holding your child and responding to their cries teaches a baby that someone will respond to their needs if they request them. In this manner, they learn that their world is a safe place and there are people who they can trust to love them and help them. There is solid research to support these claims, and a whole international movement exists to discuss the benefits of "attachment parenting". There are many elements to attachment parenting, so please do check out the website if you are interested in learning more (http://www.attachmentparenting.ca/).